Lance Falk

What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?Pizza Delivery, Science Museum Docent, Comic Book Store Asst. Manager, Newborn Baby Photo Processor

What would you say has been your primary job in animation?Prop Design….some Color Key…a little writing

What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part ofHands down, The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (Season Two), then SWAT Kats, then Animaniacs/Pinky and the Brain, Looney Toons Theatrical Shorts

How did you become interested in animation?Watching Jonny Quest as a kid.

Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?San Francisco. Worked my way up from the Hanna-Barbera Stockroom in 5 Months (A company record)

What’s a typical day like for you with regards to your job?These days, I just work from a list of Props that

need designing. I tend to go in order down the list and can knock out 6-10 finished pieces per day depending on their complexity.

What part of your job do you like best? Why?Drawing is actually still fun for me and I love the people I work with for the most part.

What part of your job do you like least? Why?Poor Leadership from the very top….ever ridiculous, unreasonable schedules and shrinking budgets.

What is the most difficult part for you about being in the business?The unsteady nature of things and ALWAYS having to worry about steady work. This last is making me seriously consider looking for an exit animation strategy. I deserve better.

What kind of technology do you work with on a daily basis?I start with a 2B pencil…do a rough sketch of what I’m doing… figure out the basic construction and perspective. Then I scan it into the system and use Photoshop on a Cintiq tablet to tighten up the drawing with digital precision.

In your travels, have you had any brushes with animation greatness?Many. Bill Hanna, Joe Barbera, and Iwao Takamoto (all of whom I worked with Directly) Friz Freleng, John K., Bruce Timm, Doug Wildey, Alex Toth, Pete Alvarado, Tony Sgroi

Describe a tough situation you had in life.
Like a lot of artists, I was a real bully magnet as a kid. Loving cartoons and lousy at sports. I was the most miserable kid you ever saw. Can’t say I really had any joy or friendship in life until High School when I started going to SF and Comic Conventions. It was something to discover that I wasn’t alone. A revelation.

Any side projects you’re working on you’d like to share details of?Not at this time.

Is there any advice you can give for an aspiring animation student or artist trying to break into the business?I wouldn’t recommend getting into this business until it has a healthier respect for the talented artists that it is built on.